A very Hammersly new year
by HMbookqueen
Summary: its new year and the Hammersley girls are back, and celebrating the new year. Will it be a happy one for them and what will the new year hold for them. IM BACK I HAVE HAD LAPTOP ISSUES SO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WRITE MUCH UNTIL NOW. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AS I DONT GET MANY AND WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.
1. KATE

Kate sat at the helm of Hammersley looking out over the vast dark sea that lay before the ship. it was New Year's Eve and the crew were heading home from the final patrol of the year. it had been a rough few years for them and for her. the crew had lost a valued member of their team. Chris Blake had lost his life along with Kates boyfriend, Jim, blown up by a double agent working for the Australian government, saw her friends go through personal tragedy. On a happier note she had married mike, had two beautiful children, seen her best friend find happiness. Looking at the clock in the bridge she realised that the was only twenty minutes left of the year. deciding it was time to make a resolution or two. thinking about what she could do in the next year, give up coffee. Hell no, no CO in their right mind would do that. Give up chocolate. No woman in their right mind would do that. walking over to the helm to check how long it would take to get back to home port and back to mike. She had been in charge of Hammersley for five months, since Mike took charge of HMAS Carnes, taking over Knocker. LT Commander white who left in disgrace, it was also so he could stay at home to look after their children. Pulling a photo out of her pocket she looked down at it and smiled, their daughter was the spitting image of her, except for her eyes, they were the same colour as mikes a grey blue, like the colour of the sea when a storm had hit, and their son was mike through and through stubborn, charming and handsome. She smiled at a memory of their son throwing a tantrum in the middle of Coles because Kate would not let him have sweets. He had the same look as his father, when he couldn't get his way. she wished she could spend the night at home with her family, but she had a job to do and, in any case, they would be back in-home port by 0600 and she could spend the day celebrating just a few hours later than usual.

Looking at the clock, she saw it was only a few minutes to go till the new year, making a silent wish to the gods to keep her and her crew safe, before picking up the sound system.  
"attention all, the year is coming to a close, all those who are not on watch and who wish to may muster on the quarter deck to see it in. I will issue a beer ration for all those on deck to raze a toast, that is all," putting the phone back, she headed out of the bridge heading to the stores and picked up a crate of small beer, and the cups they use for the beach BBQS and a small fold up table. Headed out on to quarter deck she opened the table and put the beer and cups on top and looked out to sea towards home. she closed her eyes and made a wish, "Please keep my family safe, please keep myself and the crew safe and watch over us." she whispered in to the night.

"Ma'am," a voice called out from behind her, she turned and looked in to the eyes of the radio operator. "RO," she greeted him "Help yourself to your beer ration," she added pointing to the table.

Glancing around the deck most of the crew had arrived and taken their ration, Kate raised her hand, to signal to the crew to come to a silent. "Right we have five minutes left of this year so please let's make this new year a safe one and a great one for Hammersley, "she was drowned out towards the end with the crew drowned out her speech "Ok Ok settle down, I know it is new year but this is still a war ship of the Royal Australian Navy," she tried to talk over the crew but failed looking down at her watch it read 23:59. "we have a minute left of the year, "she said before noticing one of the new junior sailors reaching in to their pockets and pull out a flare "DON'T YOU DARE 2 DADS, WE DO NOT WANT AN INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY ON OUR HANDS," she yelled.


	2. JESS

Jessica Bird lay in her bed curled up hugging the pillow that was next to her. As if it still smelt of him. Her husband Dylan Mulholland was serving on board one of the big frigates overseas in Afghanistan. He had been away for months, and wouldn't be back well in to the new year. Rubbing her belly as the unborn baby growing there decided to kick.

"Hey there, I know your missing your daddy, I miss him to, he will be back soon," she whispered.

Looking over to the clock that sat on the bed side table it read 23:40. Twenty minutes till the new year. She turned on the bed side lamp and blinked her eyes adjusting to the light and opened her laptop, smiling at the screen saver. It was a picture of her and dutchy on their wedding day, but the rest of the crew had photobombed the picture and picked her up so she was being carried like a log. Logging in to her skype account and opened up a video chat, hoping that he was not on watch or asleep. the video link opened and Duchy's face appeared on the screen.

"Chicken legs, what you doing up so late?" he asked "You should be asleep, or out celebrating the new year coming in," he added  
"Couldn't sleep, and as for going out, not like I can drink anything," she said pointing to her belly. When the screen froze "Dyl, what's happening? The screen frozen," she added tapping the laptop, as she always did when it played up.  
"Sorr-ry I have to go, happy ne-" he replied as the screen cut out and the chat ended. "New year" bird said finishing the sentence closing down the lid of her laptop. Getting out of the bed she picked up her laptop and placed it on her dressing table and walked out of the room and headed to the bathroom as the baby decided that it would be a great time to use her bladder as a football.

Walking from the bathroom, she decided that as she was completely awake now, she would head to the kitchen and make herself a drink, pulling out a Large cup from the cupboard, and placed it on the side before going on a hunt for the tin of Milo that dutchy hid from her every time he went away, (but she always knew the spot it was hidden). Finding the new hiding spot, she pulls it out and grabs the packet of baby marshmallows. Grabbing the milk bottle from the fridge, she placed all the stuff on the counter next to the cup, she poured the milk in to the cup and adding the milo to the milk and mixing till it resembled chocolate milk. Putting it in to the microwave. Putting the milk back in to the fridge she grabbed the canned cream and removed the cup from the microwave. Squirting the cream over the hot Milo, she made it look like the was equal amounts of liquid to cream, and added a large amount of marshmallows. Heading to the living room she curled up and pulled a blanket around her and took a large sip indulging in the of malty chocolatey drink and sighed and closed her eyes, it was her second favoured thing, next to dutchy. Placing the cup on the table she stood up and pulled the blanket around her sholders and walked towards the French doors, and walked out on to the balcony and turned to the coast line and looked up towards sky, closed her eyes and made a wish, saying out loud "Please keep dutchy safe, and bring him home all in one piece," looking down at her watch she read 23:59 she re-closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, when she felt a strong embrace envelop her from behind.


	3. NIKKI

Nikki stood in a hotel room in Sydney pulling her 20s style dress up over her hips and slipped her arms in, she looked at herself in the mirror that was hung on the wall. In the new year she would take up a new posting so this was one of the last nights her and her husband had in Sydney before heading back north to Carnes, a place where she never thought she would go back to.

"Pete, can you zip me up?" she called out to him knowing he was in the bathroom.

"Yeah," he said walking towards her dressed in a dinner suit. He placed a hand around her waist pulling her in to him where he whispered in to her ear "Happy new year Lt Tomaszewski, I love you" placing a kiss on to her collar bone and gently pulling her towards the bed and pushing her on to it. "Mmmm as much as I love this, we need to get a move on, so could you zip me up, or do I have to pull rank chief petty officer," she said with a slight giggle. "we have twenty minutes to join the party downstairs for the party," she added turning around to face her husband and lent up to kiss him before stepping in to her heels that were next to the wardrobe and then leaning in to kiss him again once she was at his height "Let's get going down," she said pulling him gently by the hand towards the door "we need to make the most of this while we don't have the children." Pete said placing a kiss on the top of her head. Placing his hand in the dip of her back he gently guided her towards the lift.

They arrived in the packed hotel ballroom, full of hotel guests, the 1920s jazz band playing a mix of old and new music. The band leader finishing the tune and spoke to the guests "we have time for one last dance of the year. So, grab that person you love and join us on the floor,"

Pete pulled Niki on to the floor and pulled her close to him. "I love you Nic, you will make an amazing XO on Hammery. Does Kate know that it is you going to be the XO?" He whispered into her ear.  
"No, she doesn't, you know that they don't let you know until it is set in stone," she said back.  
"You know I almost wish I was joining you on board, it would be like old times." he said back in to her ear as the music finished as he guided her back to their table.

"you know the regulations, besides how would I get any work done," she quipped back with a coy smile on her face sitting on the chair, she pulled her heels off and lifted her legs up on to petes lap "can you rub my feet, and remind me to never wear heels again," she said grimacing at the pain.

"The time is now 11:55, so all those who wish can head out on to the balcony and watch the fireworks and see the new year in," the band master said as the hotel staff opened the doors that lead out on to the balcony that ran the length of the room. Nikki lent up and placed a kiss on to Pete's lips and pulled him towards the grand staircase that lead out of the ballroom and towards the lift. When Pete scoped her up and carried her to the lifts. Resting her head on his shoulder she closed her eyes and smiled. Opening the door to their hotel room he placed her on to the bed and lent down to kiss her.  
Outside, they could hear the one-minute countdown to new year.


	4. BOMBER

She Strolled passed the bar heading towards the kitchen. Why in God's name did she did she decide to open her restaurant on New Year's Eve. "Beth, can you take the last tray out please," she asked a young waitress who was walking pass "Yes Chef," she said picking up the large platter. Rebecca Brown looked down at her outfit and was glad she had put her white chiefs' jacket over her sparkly dress. Walking in to the anit-room just off the kitchen, she removed the clogs she had to use in the kitchen and pulled out a pair of sparkly heels and headed out to join her guests in the restaurant, where the party was in full swing. Helping herself to one of the glasses of bubbly, and started to mingle with the guests. Her front of house manager was trying to deal with a group of sailors who were causing a commotion and causing quite a lot of damage. Walking over she recognised some of the group as sailors from HMAS Kingston one of the other patrol boats in the fleet.

"Out, I have no time for drunk sailors, I spent 5 years with them and I do not need them in my restaurant," she said to cries and calls from the group "come on bomber brown," walking away once she had evicted the men, she decided to put in a call to the boss. Grabbing her phone, she found his number and pressed the call button but reached his voicemail.  
"hi, boss its bomber, I just thought I would let you know that I have has several of the crew from Kingston in my restaurant, they were extremely drunk and have caused a substantial amount of damage," she said " hope you and the X have a good new year," she added before the line cut out. Putting her phone back in the cash draw of the till she grabbed the bell that was under the bar and rang it so the restaurant would fall silent  
"Ok thank you all for coming, I hope this evening has not been spoiled by the navy guys, so anyway we only have 5 minutes left of the year so the staff are going to bring round some bubbly on the house for you to count the new year in and help you self to some more food," she said gesturing to the buffet table that still had enough foo on it to feed an army.

Walking out the front of the restaurant to catch her breath she looked out towards the sea. Having a business right on the esplanade meant it was in a prime location for the tourists that filled cairns to go and see the reefs and also the navy personal that were billeted in the city (she also offered a discount to them knowing how hard the job is) this was a year she wanted to forget, although her business was doing extremely well her personal life had suffered, her boyfriend, Leo did a vanishing act in Singapore whilst he was still serving in the navy, leaving her alone.


	5. Happy New Year

"10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" the crew of Hammersley cheered, clinking their glasses together. Whilst this was happening, none of them noticed their commanding officer disappear to her cabin. Sitting at her desk she opened her laptop and opened the video chat that had been installed and clicked on to mike's profile and prayed that mike would still be awake. He appeared on the screen looking like he had just woken up.  
"hey, did I wake you?" she asked "only I wanted to wish you a happy new year," she added.  
"Happy ne-" he started to yawn "W year. And no, you did not wake me," he added

Kate smirked "I believe you, only you did a fabulous impression of the Clem Jones tunnel," referring to one of the longest tunnels in the country.  
"Okay, you have me, but to be fair, I have been busy, "he said "And I thought we were going to celebrate later today, which reminds me what time will you be alongside?" he asked.

"Um unsure on that, should be no later than 1200hrs," she said to thin air. Looking at the screen she could see mike had fallen asleep, his soft snores the only sound. Deciding to end the chat, she sent a message to him. "_you fell asleep, I will see you and the kids later. X" _Walking out of her cabin, she headed up to the bridge. Picking up the radio for the internal systems she said "this is you captain speaking, those on deck please head under, and remember this is a warship, and happy new year that's all"

Meanwhile, Jess turned to see who had enveloped her into the hug from behind.  
"DYLAN," she shrieked "I thought you were over in Afghanistan, when the video cut out-" he silenced her with a kiss gently pulling her back in to the apartment. "I pulled R&R, flew in to Sydney yesterday, and came straight up," he said before leaning down to kiss her again. "So, by my calculations, its January 1st. Happy New year jess," he said as jess wrapped her arms around him resting her head on his chest. Through his top she could hear the rhythmic beat of his heart. Taking his hand, she pulled him in to their room.

Curled up, nestled in to the crook of duchy's arm, jess whispered " Dyl, I love you," he lent down and placed a kiss on the top of her head "l love you too jess, even though you found the Milo, and used it," he added  
"I had a pregnancy craving. It's not my fault the baby takes after you," she said pushing herself up to meet his eyes. "hey, its ok, I'll get some more," he said "let's get some sleep, although, I quite fancy spending my R&R next to you in bed," he whispered into her ear with a smile on his face he lent down and kissed her pulling her into him placing kisses down her neck.

"Mmmm, as much as that sounds nice, I need to -" she said trying to get out of bed,  
"you not going anywhere," he said trying to pull her back on to the bed.

"I was going to say I need to pee," she said laughing pulling herself away and walking in to the bathroom. Walking back in to the room she intended to let dutchy take full advantage of her, or as best as he could given her condition, but he was asleep, soft snores coming from the bed. Getting back in to bed she, placed a kiss on his lips and rested her head on his chest and drifted off to asleep herself listening to his heart beating.

Nikki rested her head on to Pete's shoulder, and wrapped her arm around his waist, their clothes scattered across the room. The fireworks still lighting up the Sydney skyline and their room through the floor to ceiling windows. "Happy New Year Nik," Pete whispered gently moving her off his shoulder and placing butterfly kisses from her lips and down her neck, stopping on her collar bone finishing what he tried to start earlier in the evening. Looking up at her husband Nikki, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them. She lent up and kissed him, resting her hand on to his cheek, then slowly moving it down over his muscular sholders and down his back. They were lost in each other for so long that the fireworks were long finished, the only trace the wisps of smoke in the air. Slipping from the sheets, Nikki walked in to the en suite and turned on the shower and stepped under the water, allowing it to envelop her. She closed her eyes and felt Pete wrap his arms around her and lead her back to the bed. Allowing him to push her on to the bed, she let him take charge. She closed her eyes and let the magic of the night carry her away.

The spell was broken when one of their phones started to ring. Cussing under his breath, Pete rolled over and picked up the offending phone. "It's your mother," he said passing Nikki his phone.  
"Hi, mom happy new year. How's josh, look mom can I call you later," she said before hanging up the phone and tossing it to the other side of the room. Turning back to Pete she realised he had fallen asleep. Leaning over she kissed him and turned off the lamp that was the only light in the room, and rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes and fell asleep herself.

Rebecca Brown stood in the middle of her restaurant, it was way past midnight and the only trace of a party was the ton of confetti and streamers over the space that had been dedicated as a dance floor and the glasses spread over all the tables, looking at the mess she picked up the broom and started to sweep up the mess that was on the floor when one of the young waitresses walked out from the toilets with a disgusted look on her face "hey boss, you do not want to go in to those toilets, they are discussing , people really need to learn control how much they drink, the Is sick all over one of the cubicles," she said, wrinkling her nose.  
"it's ok, I have a plan, the commander of the Navy base will send reinforcements later today," she said knowing revenge would be sweet. "you should head off home annie, I'll call you a taxi," she added picking up her phone and dialling the taxi number  
"It's ok boss, I can walk," the young girl protested  
"no, I won't hear of it, it's late and who knows who is about, I'll cover the fair" she said taking out two ten dollar bills and handing them the girl "and if the is any change keep it," she added.  
"Thanks boss,"

Following the girl out and to make sure she got into the taxi safely, she closed the door and locked up deciding to tackle the mess when the sun had risen.


End file.
